Here's a story in today's newspaper about the type of challenge Auburn's secondary is up against in South Carolina's big receiving corps:

AUBURN, Ala. — Auburn cornerbacks coach Phillip Lolley listed South Carolina’s stable of big receivers as if they were on a video game roster.

No names. Just numbers, heights and weights, enough to convey the challenge facing the Tigers on Saturday.

“They’ve got a gamut of receivers,” Lolley said.

South Carolina’s receiving corps will present a tall task for an Auburn secondary that has been susceptible to the pass through three weeks.

The Gamecocks start three receivers who stand 6-foot-4 or taller — Alshon Jeffery, Tori Gurley and D.L. Moore — who have combined for 31 receptions, 419 yards and three touchdowns this year.

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Another great chat this afternoon. Sorry if I couldn't get to all of your questions. We'll try it again next week. Here's the replay if you want to see how things went.

Here's a video from Wednesday's round of post-practice videos. It's got Auburn head coach Gene Chizik, offensive line coach Jeff Grimes and wide receivers coach Trooper Taylor. Enjoy.

And don't forget about tomorrow's live chat at 3 p.m. ET/2 p.m. CT. The link will be up tomorrow.

Auburn still hasn’t made a final decision of which right tackle will start in place of an injured A.J. Greene against South Carolina.

Tigers coaches wouldn’t even give an indication on if they would rotate the two candidates, sophomore John Sullen and junior college tackle Brandon Mosley.

“We’ll see,” offensive line coach Jeff Grimes said.

Head coach Gene Chizik would prefer to go with one.

“You’d like to get some continuity in there between the right guard and right tackle, and that’s the important part,” he said.

Sullen and Mosley have both taken reps this week. They’ve also both had game experience.

Sullen entered the game Saturday against Clemson after Greene broke his ankle in the fourth quarter. Mosley played for two and a half quarters at Mississippi State at left tackle as an injury replacement for Lee Ziemba.

Grimes thinks the experience helps but only to a certain point.

“Stepping out there as the full-time starter, that’s a little different,” he said. “There’s a little bit different weight, a little bit different responsibility on you. Sometimes when a guy gets pulled off the bench, he doesn’t have time to think about it and get nervous.”

As for Greene, Grimes said he is in good spirits.

“I’m real proud of what he was able to do for us this year and how far he’s come,” Grimes said. “And the good news is he’s not done. He’s got some more football still in front of him.”

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More news and notes from Wednesday's interviews:

• Chizik called out his team Tuesday, wanting it to be more physical. He thinks the message got through. "I know when you challenge our group, they try to respond," he said. "I thought they responded yesterday. They just have to understand that as we move into SEC play, it’s just a whole different ballgame. There’s no way we could continue to play like we’ve played up front, on both sides of the ball, and except to win these physical games in this league. That’s what my message was yesterday."

• Grimes agreed. "When we don’t play as well as we should, it doesn’t bother anybody more than me. And I hope it doesn’t bother anybody more than our offensive line. So far I think they’ve responded the right way. But the challenge I put out to them is to see if they’re willing to do that every day. Anybody can come and work out hard for one day or two days or one week or two weeks. The question is can that become who you are, and can you do that on a consistent basis?"

• Chizik said Trovon Reed’s knee injury “hasn’t really changed much.” Reed, a freshman wide receiver/Wildcat quarterback, got his first action against Clemson, running twice out of the Wildcat for eight yards. He said earlier this week his knee is “80 percent” healthy.

• Freshman fullback Ladarious Phillips’ ankle injury remains “status quo,” Chizik said. He hasn’t played this year.

• Offensive tackle Roszell Gayden was seen on the sideline at Saturday’s game with his right arm in a sling. The junior college transfer has also had knee issues since signing with Auburn last winter. Still, Chizik hasn’t ruled him certain to redshirt. “We’re going to take that one day-by-day,” he said. “We’re not going to put that label on anybody yet in terms of that’s what we know we want to do. That’s certainly a possibility.”

• Questions have persisted about Auburn not spreading the ball to enough receivers. Against Clemson, Darvin Adams had five receptions, but nobody else had more than one. Wide receivers coach Trooper Taylor isn’t concerned. “My deal is about winning,” Taylor said. “If Darvin catches one ball and we win, or he catches 10 and we win, I’m happy. In that room, we don’t talk about being teammates, we talk about being family. As far as their concerned, their brother just caught a pass.”

• Taylor said he hasn’t heard any complaints from players about not getting the ball enough. “Do they all want the football? Yes. If they don’t I don’t want them in that room,” he said. “I want every kid in my room to want the football. If you don’t prove it in practice, you don’t get a chance to prove it in that game."

• Interesting comment on Taylor about Adams, who he doesn't put in the same category of Alabama's Julio Jones and Georgia's A.J. Green. “No, I don’t know that he’s on the same level as Julio and A.J., not ability wise, but I know his heart is," he said. "And I can’t say that they work harder than them or not, because I haven’t coached them, but I know this: for what he's got, he maximizes his ability. He’s not 6-5, and runs 4.4 but he’s going to play fast and be where he’s supposed to be. And if you he gets an opportunity to make a play, nine times out of 10 he’s going to do that. You know what you’re going to get from him."

• Taylor said DeAngelo Benton was in his doghouse against Clemson. "DeAngelo missed a block and he didn't go back in the game. He went too deep in that first game, and he didn't go back. It's hard to come back from those things."

• I'll have more on in a story I'm working on for Friday, but South Carolina has some pretty big receivers. Safeties coach Tommy Thigpen called Gamecocks sophomore Alshon Jeffery "the next A.J. Green," before saying he's like Terrell Owens. "They create problems for us because of their size. When the ball’s thrown up, all of them have the ability to go and get the ball."

• Thigpen thinks Auburn's safeties will have to be a major help against Marcus Lattimore and South Carolina's running game. "It’s to the point now where he’s running the ball 40 times a game, which is kind of unorthodox for -- when you think Steve Spurrier, you think air attacks," Thigpen said. "But they’ve got a guy back there that can really tote the ball. You see him against Georgia, and one guy can’t bring him down. We’re going to need all guys on board trying to get him down. It’s going to be create some down-field shots for them just because of how aggressive you need to play your safeties. Our game is to make sure we stop the run first and we’ll respond back to the pass."

• Cornerbacks coach Phillip Lolley isn't concerned that the secondary doesn't have an interception this year. "No, absolutely not because of the schemes that we are running now and what we're asking them to do," he said. "All that will come. The last several games, the schemes people are running the football with, they're forcing them guys to have to come up and makes plays. ... Sometimes if that means I'm giving another 60 or 70 yards of throwing the ball underneath to try to take away some of the teams of what they do and try to get some extra guys in the box, we'll live with."

New video from tonight's post-practice videos. It's got offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn, running back Mario Fannin, linebacker Jessel Curry and defensive tackle Nick Fairley. Enjoy.

Mario Fannin’s shoulder is fine and he remains in the rotation at running back, Gus Malzahn assured reporters Tuesday.

“Nothing’s changed,” Auburn’s offensive coordinator said, amid rumors that the senior could move back to more of an H-back role.

Fannin dressed but did not play against Clemson after injuring his left shoulder during a fourth quarter run against Mississippi State on Sept. 9. The senior said it was a bad stinger, something he’s done to the shoulder before.

“It happens,” he said. “That’s football.

Although coaches took a precautionary move by keeping him out Saturday, Fannin was at full speed during Tuesday’s practice.

“It’s feeling good,” he said. “Got some contact on it today. Never felt better.”

Fannin hasn’t had the prominent role expected when he sat atop the running back depth chart all offseason. In two games, he has only eight carries for 20 yards, a 2.5-yard average.

Mike Dyer (39 carries, 212 yards) and Onterio McCalebb (31 carries, 225 yards) have gotten the majority of the work.

“I feel as though it’s going to take all of us to win,” Fannin said. “Each of us brings something different to the game. Whether it be getting outside running or running downhill or catching a pass, it’s going to take all of us.”

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Now for some more quotes and notes from late-night interviews:

• The word of the day was: physical. Everybody talked about how today was a physical practice. How much so? Defensive tackle Nick Fairley summed it up well: "You could close your eyes and hear practice."

• Fairley, on what to expect from South Carolina: "It’s going to be a physical game, SEC game, they’re going to come to town looking to beat us. Looking to run the ball inside a lot, basically trying to run it down our throats, see what we’re made of. We’ve got to step up as the defense as a whole, tackle better, bring a hat to it."

• Malzahn talked about the offense's first-half struggles against Clemson. He gave some credit to the visiting Tigers but said it was mostly on his own players. "It was a combination, but mostly lack of execution," he said.

• One problem? The offense had too many three-and-outs early, which didn't allow the coaches to get an idea of what Clemson would be doing defensively and adjust accordingly. "It was halftime before we really had a feel for what was going on," Malzahn said. "Our guys came out and they made some plays in the second half."

• Malzahn agreed that Auburn needs to throw the ball more and to a bigger variety of receivers, but he maintains that it's a run/play-action offense. "When we talk about balance, we talk about yards and we’re fairly close in balance," he said. "But at the same time, a lot of people are putting an extra guy down against the run and we need to be more efficient when we do throw it. The other night the second half, they were daring us to throw it and we made a couple big plays in the passing game."

• Malzahn sees potential in the offense all the time. It's just a matter of consistency. "We really try to judge ourselves on expectations we have as far as execution and being disciplined -- the things we talked about all spring," he said. "We’ve been inconsistent. We have made some big plays and it was good to see that we made enough plays to win the game. At the same time each week the stakes get higher and the opponents get a little tougher. So we’re going to have to execute better and eliminate mistakes and that’s what we’re working on."

• Wide receiver Darvin Adams' assessment of the third quarter: "Everybody just settled down. Penalties kind of killed us a little bit. We were shooting ourselves in the foot. The offensive line started giving Cam a little more time and we executed."

• Adams made a couple of jump-ball catches. "That's what Coach Troop says he likes about me -- I catch the ball away from my body," he said. "We have drills that take us through that. I had an opportunity to do that in the game and I tried to do that the best I could."

• Running back Onterio McCalebb said he was knocked unconscious near the sideline by a hit in overtime against Clemson but hasn’t had any lingering effects. “He’s doing well,” Malzahn said. “That was a tough hit.” There's no plans to use him less. "No," Malzahn said. "We only have three tailbacks and we’ve got to use who can help us win."

• Malzahn defended quarterback Cam Newton, who has been scrutinized somewhat for not throwing to enough receivers. "We’ve talked about progressions and he’s gotten better," Malzahn said. "But you’ve got to understand he’s got three games under his belt in our system. We ask a lot of our quarterback, not only during the game, but pre-snap. He’ll get more and more comfortable. Overall, I’m very proud of him."

• Newton did a better job of protecting himself at the end of runs against Clemson. “He slid two or three times,” Malzahn said. “I was tickled.”

• Adams hasn't joined Newton's scooter posse. "I don't ride no scooter," he said. "Crown Vic, baby."

• The secondary still has zero interceptions this year. Fairley, a defensive lineman, has the team's only pick. "If I had an answer, I’d probably have a pick myself," cornerback Neiko Thorpe. "I’m still working on it. We all know we’ve got to get on it. We’re looking for our picks, but we’re not trying to rush it. We know they’ll come."

• Does Fairley talk any trash about having the only pick? "We’re giving him his props, actually," Thorpe said. "We’re appreciative of that pick. There’s no need for trash talking."

• Freshman linebacker Jessel Curry has taken on the dime linebacker role, when Auburn uses six defensive backs and a single linebacker. It's helped get Josh Bynes some breathers and has helped Curry get used to playing. "It sets my mind in one thing, so you don't have to worry about other things," he said. "One set, one job, a couple plays and it limits my screw-ups."

• Curry has to make the calls as the dime 'backer. "It's not fun either," he said. "I don't have anyone to be like, 'What's the call?' I've got to know the call. Coach (Ted) Roof, he has individual periods just for me in dime. It stresses how important it is for me to be able to know myself."

• Curry said he didn't really get to know South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore when he was on his recruiting trips to Auburn. "Not really," Curry said. "He was a bit of a longer. Every time I saw him he was by himself." Fannin was Lattimore's host and thought Lattimore would have been a good fit. "Coaches know what they’re doing," he said. "They know how to recruit. Any guy that talented can be a great addition."

• One last note regarding Shon Coleman. I've been told Auburn's coaches have been granted an NCAA waiver to speak about him because of his circumstances. That's why he was allowed to be announced at the game last Saturday and why coaches may speak about him to the media. Although he signed with Auburn last February, he is technically a recruitable athlete right now because he is not enrolled.

Light afternoon for player interviews. Hopefully we'll get some more later, but here are the early notes and quotes:

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• Gene Chizik publicly challenged his veteran offensive line to be more physical at the point of attack today. Left tackle Lee Ziemba didn't seem surprised at the comments. "I've seen the same film he has," Ziemba said. "We definitely need to be more physical up front to win ballgames. That's showed up big time."

• "It kind of hurts a little bit, but you can't get down on yourself about it," right guard Byron Isom said. "You just have to respond to it. Through adversity, that's how you become a better man. So we're definitely going to respond to it."

• Ziemba and Isom said there's no trick for coming out with a more physical attitude. It starts in practice. "I think the attitude is there," Isom said. "It's just really putting it out there on the field and really showing what we can do. We haven't done that up to this point."

• The obvious question is can the Tigers be as physical as they want to be in an offensive scheme that doesn't seem like it's catered to that style of play. Chizik disagreed with the premise. "We run the exact same plays that every I-back team runs," he said. "The exact same plays, powers, counters, zones, inside zones, our run game is exactly the same.”

• Understandably, both linemen felt bad for right tackle A.J. Greene, who is out for the year with a serious ankle injury. "That's tough, but that's the nature of the game," Ziemba said. "He worked his tail end off to get that starting spot. He did a good job for us. I'm glad I got to play with him."

• Ziemba didn't seem to think replacing Greene with either John Sullen or Brandon Mosley will affect the dynamic of the line too much. "It's all the same calls," he said.

• Here's how Chizik addressed a question about the right tackle spot today: "Our plan is on Tuesday to be able to rotate those guys and find the combination that fits us best. I don’t know how we’ll do it in the game but both guys will have equal opportunity to be the guy. We’ll start looking at that today.”

• Auburn scored 21 third-quarter points. Ziemba thinks that prove what this offense is capable of. "We always know that we can do it," he said. "We're down 17 points but we know we're not out of it. It's just kind to kind of click. If we can get all four quarters like we played one quarter the other night, I think we'll be on the right path."

• Big stakes going up against No. 12 South Carolina. "It's a lot to prove," Isom said. "We go out there every week trying to make a statement. When you get this type of attention for this type of game, it's really a statement game."

• Defensive end Antoine Carter tries to ignore the hype. "I really don't pay attention to the polls," he said. "I really don't understand it. It's just another chance for us to go out and prove ourselves. We'll stay under the radar for now. We don't like to be the talk. We'd rather just go under the radar and prove ourselves on the field."

• Odd response from Carter about South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore, when asked to compare him to Auburn's Mike Dyer: "I don't think you can compare an Auburn running back and a South Carolina running back. That's just my opinion. I'm an Auburn man, so I don't see the comparison."

• Obviously there are heavy hearts at South Carolina today, after news broke of the apparent suicide of beloved former wide receiver Kenny McKinley. Chizik spoke about it being difficult to monitor the mental health of players. "It’s a tough question," he said. "You know you really try to keep a good eye and try to monitor your guys, and that’s why with us personally we’re always trying to be involved with what’s going on in their lives, with what’s going on in their family life. You don’t know. It’s very tricky. It’s tough to know what’s going on at one time in every guy’s world. We try to do our best to stay up on what’s going on in 125 guys’ lives. And that’s tough, but we do our best to do that. Again, that’s a tough situation."

• South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier commented on McKinley today. "Certainly, this is a tragic loss for all Gamecocks, especially his teammates, coaches that knew him very well. Our players will hopefully do our grieving here the next day or so. We will remember Kenny for the good times, and, again, it is hard for us to comprehend how this all happened."

• Signee Shon Coleman, who has battled leukemia since the spring, attended the Clemson game. "It was just awesome to see him smiling and just back being himself, and I think it was neat for a lot of our coaches to see him again and his mom," Chizik said. "We keep in touch with them on a daily basis and we want them to come back as often as they can get back. We know sometimes that gets a little taxing, but it was just awesome to see him back here and us recognize him. It was a cool deal.”

• Chizik didn't speculate on if he expects Coleman to play football at Auburn. "I can’t make that call," he said. "I expect him to be at Auburn. Whether he’s playing or not, I don’t know, but I expect him to be at Auburn.”

It's over. All we have are the quotes. Here they are:

• "It's going to be another great SEC weekend. Obviously we have a huge, huge challenge in front of us with the best football we've played to date."

• "Name of the game for us is to play a very physical football game." Didn't think the team was physical enough in the Clemson game.

• He elaborates on physical football: "We're talking about the point of attack on the line of scrimmage." Both sides of the ball. "That's where we need to improve as a team."

• Lots o' veterans up front. Chizik doesn't say he's surprised they haven't been better, but it's understood they need to improve. "They know it, we know it and we've got to fix it."

• "You're not going to do it in a game if you don't do it in practice."

• USC's receivers are tall.Auburn's cornerbacks are not. This is a concern for Chizik. "They are very talented, very athletic."

• On Lattimore: "He doesn't run like a freshman."

• Chizik said Auburn's "hearts go out" to South Carolina regarding the tragic news about Kenny McKinley.

• Said mental health is more difficult to gauge than physical health."It's a very tricky thing to know what's going on in every guy's world. But we try to stay up on what's going on in 125 guys' lives, and that's tough. It's a tough situation."

• John Sullen and Brandon Mosley are going to rotate at right tackle in practice. Doesn't know how it'll work in game. Mosley is a "swing guy" who will work at left and right tackle.

• Back to physicality: "Watching (South Carolina) on film, they play on the other side of the football."

• Disputes notion that offensive scheme prevents Auburn from being physical: "We run the exact same plays that every I-back team runs."

• Thinks Dyer will only gain confidence as season goes on. "We're ready for him to do more."

• Philip Lutzenkirchen hasn't caught a pass. "We've got to get more guys involved in the passing game. Period."
  

• "We're going to do in the game plan what gives us the best chance to win." Would like 50-50 split in run-pass. Said it doesn't always work out that way.

• Shon Coleman was at last week's game. "It was just awesome to see him. We want him to come back as often as he can." He expects Coleman to attend Auburn but didn't want to say anything about his potential football career.
  

AUBURN, Ala. — The bright orange Auburn hat lingered in Marcus Lattimore’s hands for a good three seconds while two schools’ fan bases held their collective breaths.

It was merely misdirection. The running back phenom from Duncan, S.C., removed a red South Carolina from behind it and placed it atop his head last February.

Friends and family that gathered at his church erupted in cheers as the droning beat of a trance remix blared in the background.

And like that, the running back balance of the SEC was set.

Not for the future. For the present.

Auburn and South Carolina, who will meet Saturday night at Jordan-Hare Stadium, both found the featured backs they needed last signing day. The Gamecocks added Lattimore and the Tigers Mike Dyer out of Little Rock, Ark.

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For the second straight week, an Auburn player nabbed SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors.